Sheet cutting machine



Oct. 18, 1932. G. sPlEss ,1,883,858

' SHEET CUTTING MACHINE v Original Filed April 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 18, 1932;

G, SPIESS SHEET CUTTING MACHINE Original Filed April 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Patented Oct. 18, 1932 A UNITED STATES GEORG SPIESS,OF LEIPZIG-PLAGWITZ, GERMANY SHEET CUTTING MACHINE riginal application p My invention relates to a sorting device for sheet cutting machines by which defective -sheets are defiected to a separate pile, A As described in my prior patent of the United States, No. 1,810,142,'dated Junev 16,

1931, means are provided for causing'a switch for the grading appliance to lag with respect to its operating mechanism for a period corresponding to the distance to which the deflo fectivesheet is moved from theinspection station, until the line along which-the sheets are severed from. the web, is in proper position below the blade of the severing mechanism.

In my said prior patent I have described a machine of this kind in which hand-operated means are provided for placing a grading appliance into operative position. -It isl an ohject of the present invention to provide elec- .13' trical means for the samepurpose.

To this end I provide a continuously operated rotary member ordisc equipped with controlling means for an electric circuit which circuit comprisesmeans for reversing A :5 theswitchforthe good7 andbad piles, andv I provide an operators switch for moving `the controlling'means on the disc into active position with respect to contacting means in the reversing circuit. The lag of the pile r'f switch with respect to the manipulation of the operators switch is due to the rotation of the disc as the controlling means in connection with the disc which are prepared for action'by ,operators switch, will get 33 into operative position with respect .to the contacting meansin the reversing circuit not immediately after theiop'erators switch has been closed, but only after the disc has performed part of its rotation, .so thatV aV certain "-9 time will elapse between. the closing ofthe operatorsv switch and the operation of ,the-

contacting means in the reversing circuit. The distance of the inspection station from the cutter may be equal twice the lengt-'h 'of a sheet, and the discperforms about two revolu'tions before. the pile switch will be reversed. In the drawings 'affixed to this specification A and forming part thereof, a -machine equipped .with agrading appliance embodyv0 ing my invention and connected with elecled April 14, 1927, Serial No. 183,746, and in 'Germany-April 24, 1926. Divided and this application filed February 24, 1928, Serial No. `256,629.

trical means is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

In' the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of the machine,- Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a contact Vadapted to cooperate-with the switch-actuat-A ing mechanism,

Figs. 4 and 5 are sect-ions on the line IV-IV in Fig. 1 showing a part of the actuating mechanism in inactive and in operative position, respectively.

Referring nowA to; the drawings and irst to Figs. 1 and 2, a is the frame of the ma-V chine,3 is the main driving shaft to Which rotation is imparted by any suitable means,`

not shown, 70'is a sprocket on the driving shaft 3, b and c are pairs of feed rollers for moving the sheets through the machine,-7l is a chain extending from the sprocket 70 to a sprocket 100 on the shaft 101 of the upper .roller in the last pair of rollers c, 102 and 103 are spur gea-rs on the shafts 101 and 104 of the upper and lower rollers in the pair c, respectively, 105 is a sprocket on the sha-ft 104 of the lowerroller, and 72 is a chain connectl ing the sprocket 105 with a corresponding sprocket, not shown, on the first pair of rollers b, so that the feeding mechanism is actuated from the shaft 3. 22 is a chain on a sprocket 73 on the shaft 3, and a sprocket 74 on the rotary contacting member which is fitted to rotate on the horizontal rod 21', as described in my said priorpatent. 10 is a bell-crank lever which is fulcrumed in the frame. a at A9, 5 is a' switch for deflecting the sheets tothe good pile 6 or to the bad pile 7 according tothe position of the switch, d is a bridge extending from the switch 5 to the bad pileA 7 and 8 is al rod connecting the switch 5 with the bellcrank lever 10;v 11 is a roller on the bell-crank lever 10. 12 is a cam plate on the shaft 3 by which the bell-crank lever 10 is' 20 opposite the outer ends seated onl the rod 21.

is rocked by the cam Vplate 12 and inturn rocks the Vswitch5.

75 is a roller at the end of a lever 76 which is fulcrumed in the frame a at 77, 4 is a cam 5 plate which is secured on the cam 3 at the side of the camplate 12, 78 is a depression in the cam plate, and 2 is arod by which the bellcrank lever 76 is connected with the cutter 1. While the roller 75 is supported on the con- 1 centric part of the cam plate 4, the cutter 1 is held in its uppermost position', but when the depression 78 arrives at the roller 75, the cutter 1 descends under the action of gravit or of springs, not shown, and severs the s eetat 0.

tary units 23a and 235,

25 sleeve is secured a spro'cketr22ar adapted to be actuated by a chain 22 from a driving shaft 3, and the stationary units 23e and 23d are secured on the rod 21 by sleeves 38a and 385,

respectively. Two pairs of units have been 3 provided in order to allot one unit to each operative position of the yoperators switch 41 as will be described, and thus to enable the operator to discard two bad sheets in immediate succession. Pawls 24a and 245 are arranged in the rim of each disc, and brackets' 31a and 315 are secured on the rod 21 so as not to rotate with the discs 23a, 235. Slides 32a v and 325 are carried in each bracket and connected with a sleeve 33a and 335 on the rod 49 21, respectively, by a link 34a and 345. Se-

cured to each sleeve there is an iron plate 35a and 355, respectively; and annular electromagnets 36a, 37a and 365, 375 are arranged on either side of the plates 35a and 355, re-r spectively, and secured in hollow supports 38a and 385, respectively, which are held against rotation on the rod 21 and are so arranged on the rod'v that their hollow spaces form continuations of the hollow spaces in4 5 the discs 23a and 235. 40 are line wires to which the electromagnets are connected by a Wire 39e and a switch 41 which is adapted to be connected alternately with wires 39e and 39d which are connected to the electromagnets 37a and 375, respectively, the return wires being 39a and 395. In this manner the electromagnets are connected inparallel to the line wires 40. Similarly, the electromagnets 36a and 365 are connected with the line wires by 4 G0 wires 42a and 425, the return wires being 42o and 42d. 43a and 435 are contacts which are arranged in the stationary supports 38a and 385 and adapted to be closed by the pawls 24aA and 245, as will be described below.

Fixed contact casings are arranged in line with the rotary units 23a and 235, and 106, Fig.Y 1, isV the casing whichrs allotted tothe unit 235. The casing is equipped with a lug 54 extending upwardly int'o the immediate vicinity of the casing 235. 45 is a doublearmed contacting lever which is mounted to rock about` a pivot 107 in a recess at the base of the extension 54, with its shorter arm also extending into the immediate vicinity of the unit 235, and 108 is a pull-back spring whichV tends to raise the longer arm of the lever. 46 is a contact pin which is controlled by the longer arm 45, and 44 are contact members under the control of the contact pin 46. The contact 44 is in a circuit 47 which is branched from the line wires 40. The casing for the unit 23a is exactly similar to the casing 106, and also equipped with a contact pin and contact members.

In the normal position,that is, with the switch 41 open, the electromagnets are all deenergized. The plates 35a and' 355 are in the vicinity of the outer electromagnets 36a and 365 when the parts are in normal position. As the rod 21 is horizontal there is no tendency :for the plates to leave this position but they may be retained by any suitable resilient or rictional means, not shown. In

this position the slides 32a and 32,5 in theV brackets 31a and 315 are retracted and do not act on the ends of the pawls 245 which are retained by a spring catch 525, as will be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. The operation of the machine will now be d'escribed with reference to the units 235 and 23d, it being understood, of course, that the operationof the duplicate units 23a and 23a is exactly the same. The units 235 'and 23d are actuated when the operators switch 41 is connected with the wire 39d as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Under normal conditions, the operators switch is in the vertical neutral position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the plate 355 is in the vicinity of the electromagnet 365, and, through the medium of its sleeve 335 and the toggle 345, has. retracted the slide 325 out of reach of the pawl 245, so that the pawl is free to rotate past the slide 325 in its stationary bracket 315 without being iniuenced by the slide. The catch 525 is adapted to engage two notches in the pawl 245 so as to hold the pawl in its two final positions, and 515 is a spring adapted to move y the catch into the corresponding notch. 535 is a linger at the inner end of the pawl 245, and 595 is a contact on the inner end of a contact spring 435 which is secured in an insulating bracket 430 on the stationary unit 23d and adapted to cooperate with a contact spring 43d which in turn is connected with the electrornagnet 365 by means of a wire 43e. When the parts are lin the position illustrated in Fig. 4, with the pawl 245 retracted, the fingerl 535 nl oves past the contact 595 without inluencmg itas shown in dotted lines at the to straightenthe toggle link 346 as shown in Fig. 5, and the slide 326 is pushed out of its bracket to advance the pawl 246 into active position with respect to the short arm of lever 45. lVhen the short arm of the lever is engaged by the pawl 246 the pin 46 descends and closes the contact 44. 48 is an electromagnet in the circuit which when excited attracts itsv armature 49. The armature is connected to a pawl 55 on a pin- 56. A pull-back spring 57 tends'. to hold the pawl engaged with the free end' of the bell-crank lever l0 which engages a shoulder 58 on the'pawl 55.

v It will be understood' that when the contact 44 is closed by the pawl 246 as described, the belLCrank lever l0 will be released and the switch 5 will be thrown over for the had pile on the plate 7.' f

YVhen the pawl 246 reaches the contact596 its linger 536 will strike the spring 436, closing the contact at the spring 43d and energizing the electromagnet 366 which thereupon attracts the plate 356 and, through the medium of the sleeve'336 an'd the link 346, retracts the slide 326.

It will be understood that the pawl246 is not moved immediately upon the operator throwing the switch 41 into contact with the wire 39d but only after the pawl which is rotating with its unit- 236, has come into contact with the slide 326 `in due course,and in this manner the required lag is obtained.

Upon continued rotation 'of the unit, the pawl 246 is returned into its initial or inactive position by the end of the lug 54, the position of the pawl in which this occurs being indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. l.

The parts ,of the rotary unit 23a and the stationary unit 23e are operated as described with reference to Figs. 4 andv 5 when the operator moves the lever 41 into contact with the wire 39o as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l,4

energizing the electromagnet 37a and advancing the pawl 24a which thereupon op crates a double-armed lever similar to the lever 45, but, if desired, a single lever may be provided to be loperated by both pawls 24a and 246 to close the contact'44. The lever 45 (or the levers) is so arranged with respectto the disc 236 that the contact 44 is closed a short time after the blade 1 has performed' one of its-operations. Intermediate the operations described and the operation of the switch 41, the discs 23a and 236 have performed more than a single revolution but less than two revolutions, and thev web 18 has enable the operator to handle two bad sheets which accidentally follow each other immediately which handling would not be practicable with a single unit. Under normal conditions, with a few defects distributed at considerable distances along the web the operator may throw the switch 41 as he desires, that is, to the wire 390 or to the wire 39d, but in the case of two bad sheets in immediate sequence the switch must be reversed so as to operate the opposite pair of units.

It is not necessary that` the .operators switch 41 should be returned. to its neutral position as shown by the vertical dotted lines in Fig. l immediately after it has been operated as the clectromagnet 36a or 366 which attracts the plate 35a or 356 so as'to withdraw the slide 32a or 326, is energized independently of the operators switch 41 bythe contact spring 43a or 436 as described but the operators switch must be returned to neutral position, or reversed, 'before the rear end ,of a defective sheet has moved past thepoint II, Fig. l.

It will be understood that by the lagging operation described the work of the operator is much facilitated as he is able to throw in the switch 41 immediately he notices a defect, and need notfollow'the sheet through the machine.

My invention may also be applied to machines in which the good and bad piles are not superimposed as described but juXtal posed. In this case, a gripper mechanism is provided instead of a switch and operated by adjustable abutments and it is obvious thatithese abutments may be set in the manner described without departing from my in vention.

Generally speaking, I wish it to be understood that-I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction` shown and described,.for obvious modiications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim y 1. Sorting device for sheet cutting machines comprising a cutter, means for feedling sheets past said cutter, a switch for conducting the sheets to 'separate piles according to their quality, mechanism for operating said switch, means for locking said switch against operation, a rotary member, a pawl on said member adapted to control said locking means, a .circuit connected with said member, means on said member and in said circuit for operating said pawl, manually operated'means for making and breaking said circuit, and means for operating said member from said mechanism in such manner that the operation of said switch lags with respect to that of said cutter.

2. Sorting device for sheet cutting machines comprising a cutter, means for feeding sheets past said cutter, va 'switch for conducting the sheets to separate piles according to their quality, mechanism for operating yin such manner that the operation of said switch lags with respect to that of said cutter.

3. Sorting device for sheet cutting machinos comprising a cutter, means for feeding sheets past said cutter, a switch for conducting the sheets to separate piles according to their quality, mechanism for operating s aid f switch, means for locking said switch agalnst operation, a rotary member, a pawl on said member adapted to control said locking means, a circuit connected with said member, an electromagnet on said member and in said circuit for controlling the position of the 'pawlwith respect to said locking means, a contact on said member operatively connected with said pawl for making and breaking ciprocated in said member asY said armature is alternately attracted by said electromagnets, a contact on said member operativelyl connected with said pawl for `making-and breaking said circuit as said member'is rotated, an auxiliary circuit, Contactin means in said auxiliary circuit, adapted to e operated by said pawl so as to make and break said auxiliary circuit, an'electromagnet in said auxiliar circuit operatively connected with said loc g means, manually operated means for making and breaking said circuit, and means for operating said member from said mechanism in such manner that the operation of said switch lags with respect to that of said cutter.

In testimony whereof I aix my si nature.

Y p GEORG SP ESS.

said circuit as said'member is rotating, manually `operated means for making and breaking said circuit and means for operating said member from sa-id mechanism in such manner that the operation of said switch lags with respect to that of said cutter. l l

4. Sorting device for sheet cutting machines comprising a cutter, means for feedingv sheets past said cutter, a switch for oo nducting the sheets to separate piles according to their quality, mechanism for operating said switch, means for locking said switch against operation, a rotary member, a pawl,

a circuit connected with said member, means on said member and in said circuit for operating said pawl, an auxiliary circuit, contacting means in said auxiliary circuit, adapted to be operated by said pawl so as to make and break said .auxiliary circuit, anV electromagnet in said auxiliary circuit operatively connected with said locking means, manually operated means for making and breaking s respect to that of said cutter.

said circuit, and means for operating said member from said mechanism in such manner that the operation of said switch lags with 5. Sorting device for sheet cutting machines comprising a cutter, means for feeding sheets past said cutter, a switch for conducting the sheets to separate piles according to their quality, mechanism for operating said switch, means for locking said switch against operation, a rotary member, a pair of electromagnets on said member, an armature adapted to be alternately attracted by said electromagnets, a circuit connected with said electromagnets, a'pawl operatively connected with said armature so as to be reiso 

